Chapter 539

“I’m her mom.”

Octavia’s tone was cool. “But since Claire isn’t my biological daughter, I just can’t bring myself to love her. Not truly.”

“When she was little, I didn’t get it. Everyone blamed me. All I could do was try to make it up to her with gifts and opportunities. I kept thinking if I raised her to be outstanding, maybe it would ease the guilt I felt for Claire.”

“It wasn’t until Lance brought Cindy back that everything clicked. The girl I’d raised -she wasn’t actually mine. That’s why I never connected with her.”

“Blood really is a strange thing. I only just met Cindy, but I already wanted to give her everything.”

But eighteen years with Claire? Nothing ever clicked.

Latham wanted to understand, but hearing how detached Octavia was, a chill ran through him. If he ever lost everything, she would probably leave without looking back.

“Octavia, I get how you feel. That’s why, when you wanted Claire gone, I didn’t put up much of a fight.”

“It’s good for Cindy to learn how to live with us now, but you can’t spend your life trying to make up for lost time. If you do, she’ll end up believing we owe her something.”

“This messed up baby swap-both girls were innocent. But parents like us, aren’t we victims too?”

Octavia stared at him, surprised he would say something like that. It blurted out before she could stop herself. “If it wasn’t for you, none of this would have happened. How could the babies have been mixed up?”

Latham’s first instinct was to deny it. “How is that my fault?”

But then he caught himself. Octavia must have figured something out about the hospital, maybe even learned how the swap happened.

He almost asked her, but the words stuck.

She saw right through him. The look on his face said it all.

He must have known the truth long before she did, known Fallon was behind the switch, which explained why he never pressed the hospital. And she—she was the only one left in the dark, clueless.

“Latham, how did they get swapped? You knew, didn’t you?”

Her voice demanded the truth. Latham looked away.

“Octavia, just listen. Fallon snapped because she lost her own baby. It’s over now.”

“And honestly, she took care of Cindy all those years. This is my fault. I made life hell for both of you.”

“If someone’s to blame, blame me.”

“I’ll have the villa ready for you tomorrow.”

“Cindy is our real daughter. I won’t let her down-and neither should you.”

He told himself the ordeal was

behind them, and if Octavia really pushed, he could always send Fallon

to prison. He cared about Fallon,

sure, but knowing what he did left a bad taste:

Fallon might have tried to ruin his

family,

for ut at least she’d looked met

for Cindy. If she hadn’t, he wouldn’t have let her off so easily

“What did you just say?” Octavia’s voice was suddenly sharp and almost shrill.

“Fallon swapped the babies and raised Cindy. Even if Cindy grew up in James Village, Fallon was there forter-she didn’t suffer as much as we thought.”

“Octavia, the past is the past. Chasing after it now is pointless.”

“Just stop talking!” Octavia was seething.

The realization hit her like a slap. Fallon, not her, had taken care of Cindy all these years.

Did Cindy and Fallon have some secret bond? How was she supposed to compete with that?

She didn’t want to hear anything else from Latham. That was it. She snapped, “Latham, just go ahead and keep protecting her!”